President’s

Message

Beginnings and endings - we all face them - yearly, daily, weekly. All these increments of time we give name to bring about changes in which we have been involved.

The impact of serving my term as association President was made real with my trip to the nation’s capitol to attend the annual leadership training. Cindy Fyfe, President-Elect and I met with Senators Murkowski and Stevens, and Congressman Don Young. We informed our congress-men that we and 38,000 of our professional colleagues are on record in support of federal preemptive health information confidentiality legislation.

We support a federal standard that would guard against the accidental and intentional misuse of personal health data whether maintained by the government or the private sector. A federal preemptive standard would replace the patchwork of state laws that makes our work so confusing.

Please lend your voice to this effort and contact our senators and rep-resentative and ask them to support HR 4049, the Privacy Commission Act. Call or email them at their state office buildings. They may be contacted at the following address:

Frank Murkowski, Ted Stevens, and Don Young, 130 Trading Bay Rd, Suite 350, Kenai, 907.283.5808.

To have a part in influencing a federal mandate is an awesome thought and an incredible experience. Please do your part.

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The rest of our time in D.C. was spent learning how to get the most from the national association (AHIMA) and the best from the CSA’s leadership. AHIMA does a extraordinary job outlining and delivering everything that CSA leadership indicates they need.

Some important issues coming up for vote at the House of Delegates:

1) An increase

in dues.

wActive & Associate will go from $100 to $135;

wStudents from $15 to $20;

wSeniors from $50 to $75.

In 1984, RHIA dues were increased to $100 from $75; RHIT from $50 to $75.

In 1993, RHIT dues were aligned to RHIA dues when membership benefits were equalized. The cost of living from 1984 to 1999 has increased by 67%. If dues had kept pace with cost of living, annual dues would be $167.00. The dues increase would be effective beginning with the 2001 membership billing cycle. It is important to note that according to Bylaws, the HOD approves dues. Dues for specialty groups and the CE maintenance fees are set by the board. There would be a transition period for specialty groups. The member fees for maintaining certification will not change. The board intends to increase the non-member fees for continuing education. RHIA/RHIT will increase from $100/two year CE cycle to $135/two year cycle beginning with

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CODER NEEDED !

South Peninsula Hospital in beautiful downtown Homer is looking for an in/outpatient coder. Interested? Please call or write to Barb Norbeck, RRA at 907.235.8101

IN THIS ISSUE:

President’s message 1

AKHIMA Web Page 3

Round Table Coord. 3

Annual meeting 4

Treasurer’s report 4

Bd of Directors 5

PUBLISHING DELAY

The AKHIMA Board and Editing Team apologize for the delay in getting this issue of

The Northline

out to our members